Riding and Walking in the County

Active transportation is any self-propelled mode of transportation. Walking, riding a bicycle, and skateboarding are a few examples. Active transportation promotes healthy lifestyles and a healthy environment. It also complements public transit. Subscribe here to learn more and to get updates on the latest Active Transportation projects, plans and news in Washington County.

Safe bicycle and pedestrian facilities that provide connections to transit and the places people need to reach are essential to making active transportation a viable travel choice. Building out a complete and effective countywide transportation network for all users will take time and significant funding resources. We are working diligently to address this need with the tools and resources we currently have available, and we will continue working to identify new tools and resources for the future.

Read more about the current programs and projects that are building bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout the County...

Planning for active transportationTo encourage active transportation in WashingtonCounty, we are working to improve connectivity for bicyclists and those on foot.

The Neighborhood Bikeway Plan was launched last fall (2013), which will help identify alternative neighborhood routes that bicyclists of all abilities can take when going to and from their destinations. Read more about this effort!

The county's Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan includes policies, strategies and maps that support the development of bicycle and pedestrian facilities in WashingtonCounty through 2020. We are in the process of updating our Transportation Plan, and have been reviewing the Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan as part of that process.

Constructing active transportation infrastructureAll major county capital projects are built to a multi-modal standard, with bikeways and pedestrian facilities. Since 1986, the Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program (MSTIP) has constructed over 130 miles of bikeways and sidewalks on county roads that lacked or had inadequate facilities before. These projects are helping improve the connectivity of our bicycle and pedestrian system.

Most recently, the Board of County Commissioners approved an allocation of $3 million from the 2013 Gain Share funds that will go towards the project development and construction of bicycle and pedestrian projects. Visit our Gain Share Project website for a list of projects currently in design.